😡 I’m Wasting My Time!

…working to meet target times or paces when my stroke feels like it’s falling apart!

Some very tired faces towards the ¾ mark of a Red Mist Endurance Session

Elation that they kept going - with an average age of 62yrs between them and working off a CSS of 1:31/100m!

Hey Swimmers,

Over the years, I’ve coached hundreds of athletes who’ve genuinely believed it’s pointless to keep swimming once their stroke starts to “fall apart.” You know the feeling — your timing goes, the catch feels sloppy, you’re gasping for air, and that smooth rhythm you love disappears. Many think,

“I’m just reinforcing bad habits… I should stop.”

But here’s the truth: that’s exactly where the magic happens.

Even elite swimmers — Olympians, World Champions — lose technical control when they push to their limits. The difference is, they train for it. They practise holding things together when their body and brain are screaming to back off. It’s not about perfection under comfort — it’s about control under fatigue.

When your stroke starts to wobble — and it will — you’re exploring the edge between comfort and chaos. The goal isn’t to swim beautifully forever — it’s to stay composed just a little longer each time before it unravels. And, in our experience, it rarely looks as bad as it feels. You might feel like you’re flailing, but from the pool deck, it often looks like minor inefficiency — nothing disastrous.

Take our most infamous session at Swim Smooth Perth: the Wednesday 5:30am Red Mist Endurance Session. It’s our toughest and most popular workout. But here’s the fascinating part — we regularly lose over 50% of the squad after 60 minutes, just when the real gains begin. Sure, some need to leave for work or school drop-offs, but for those who can stay… that’s where true growth lives.

So next time your stroke feels like it’s coming apart, don’t panic and don’t quit.

Embrace that discomfort. Learn to manage it, to adapt, to refine your rhythm under pressure.

That’s how you stop wasting your time — by pushing through the point where others stop.

Your Coach,

Paul